Hello everybody!

I thought I’d touch base with everybody on what is happening with Bruce. When he left the hospital in early February there were some side affects from the surgery complications that needed to be looked into. He’s finally finished all of his tests and has started cardiac rehab.

My last entry was about his opthomology appt. Since then he has seen an ENT and an audiologist about his hearing. The tests showed no damage from the surgery complications. He says the stuffiness and under water feeling in his ear have gotten better since the surgery so we’re hoping with time this clears up completely. He had another swallow test and an endoscopy done a couple weeks ago. He still has issues with swallowing and needs a lot of liquids when eating a meal. The tests again showed no issues. When they did the endoscopy the doctor also dilated and stretched the esophagus hoping it would help. According to Bruce it hasn’t made much difference 🤨!! So basically it’s something he has to learn to live with. Lots of chocolate milk with every meal! Just like his eye. He can get by with sight in only one eye pretty well. His left eye will compensate for the right but there are some things that he can’t do.

He’s still working on gaining his strength back and gaining weight etc. He milked cows for the first time this past weekend. Sore in the arms and shoulders and it’s also hard to see the udder and where/how to correctly attach the unit. It sounds funny but it’s an adjustment he has to make with something he took for granted and did everyday. I posted a picture on FB of him sitting by the bonfire crossing his arms and legs. He’s finally able to do that because the muscles around his shoulders, hips and knees were so weak it was too painful.

*** this is what can happen when you are in the hospital for 6 weeks and on a ventilator for 2 weeks * social distance and wear the frickin’ mask ***  

So recovery will just take time. In some ways he will never recover. He’s lucky to be alive and we are so happy he is here to enjoy life with us. When I think about what life was like 6 months ago it’s unbelievable. I can’t believe we went through all of that. Praise God!